If you want to know whether balance is important, ask a tightrope walker or a technician who installs new tires on your vehicle. If you want to know whether balance is important, ask a nutritionist who encourages her patients to create balanced, healthy diets. But, if you want to know whether balance is important, you might not want to ask group ministry leaders.
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I listened to the burden of a pastor friend of mine who, through their broken heart, shared the story of a child who has strayed from faith. I have many other friends who tell the same story—they’ve devoted their lives to ministry, only to witness a child of their own take steps away from God.
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If the first church had a website, the tagline “Together” would have been on brand. The community of faith in its earliest days serves as the standard for every local church going forward. However, pastors today are seeing a deepening apathy toward the value and vitality of biblical community. According to the Greatest Needs of Pastors research, 75% of pastors say people’s apathy or lack of commitment is the most challenging people dynamic they deal with in ministry.
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From the beginning of history, God has worked through agents to carry out His mission. Patrick Schreiner, Associate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Seminary, writes, “[God] enacts His mission and furthers His mission specifically through His people.”
What does your church staff consider important? Hopefully, some things will come to mind immediately, such as the Great Commission, the Great Commandment, and the vision of your local church. Have you ever considered the values that help you work together as a staff? Have you considered how you press towards these essential goals?
